In this project, a variety of personal-computer-based systems is assembled and investigated for their utility as research tools. In general, research projects often require such activities as laboratory data acquisition and analysis, physiological imaging, mathematical modeling, and numerical analysis. Commercially available hardware and software components of microcomputer systems purport to be highly advantageous in such research systems and need critical examination and evaluation to determine their true capabilities and appropriate use. This examination is the objective of this project. This project is designed to determine uses for personal computers in the research laboratory, and to develop prototype personal-computer-based systems to achieve research objectives including laboratory data acquisition, analysis and display.